The U.S. Olympic hockey team has unfinished business. It was less than a year ago that the Americans were in the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off against Canada at the TD Garden in Boston. The U.S. went toe to toe with the Canadians in that game and the title was not decided until the game went to overtime. Connor McDavid ended it with an overtime goal against Connor Hellebuyck, firing a snap shot from the top of the circle by the overmatched goalie.

There was no reason for the Americans to hang their heads, but there is reason for the U.S. team to get back to the battle. They were inches from beating their archrivals but could not get it done a year ago. U.S. general manager Bill Guerin has put together a team that is capable of winning the gold medal at the Milan Olympics and punishing all opponents in the process.

Guerin has not given head coach Mike Sullivan a team that is there to dazzle the opposition. The American are a big, strong team that is designed to win the battle in the corners and produce workmanlike goals that opposing defenses are not going to stop.

Think of bulldozers and other earth-moving equipment. Not necessarily the fastest, but unstoppable when moving forward.

The U.S. is going to lean on brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, Tage Thompson, Jake Guentzel, Auston Matthews and defenseman Quinn Hughes for the bulk of their offense in the Olympic competition. However, they are also going to lean on the Tkachuk brothers, J.T. Miller, Matt Boldy, Dylan Larkin, Charlie McAvoy, Seth Jones and Jaccob Slavin for hard-hitting physical play.

U.S. team leaving some dynamic players at home

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) looks to pass in the third period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Guerin has been questioned quite a bit because he did not select Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars or Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens to drive the United States offense. He has not selected Adam Fox of the New York Rangers to play on the blue line.

Robertson is the highest scoring American-born player in the NHL this season with 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points, while Caufield is one of the most explosive skaters in the league and he has 21 goals and 42 points.

Guerin understands that criticism comes with the territory, and he is not apologizing for his team. “Listen, I make my decisions and I move ahead,” Guerin said. “I don’t care what people say on social media. I don’t care what the experts say. All I care about is the team. I have a job to do, I’m doing it to the best of my ability. If I’m right, I’m right. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, and we think we have put together the best team we can to help bring us a gold medal.”

The United States has plenty of speed and skill, but it does not want to get into a race with the Canadian team. Instead, Guerin wants his team to play a physical game against its archrivals, and also do the same against Sweden and Finland. He wants his team to be the toughest team in the Olympic competition.

Americans may have intangible edge

There is little doubt that players like Matthews, Guentzel, Thompson and Quinn Hughes can put the puck in the net and do it quickly.

However, the Americans want to play with strength and determination. They will depend on McAvoy, Slavin, Boldy and the Tkachuk brothers to dish out big hits that force the Canadians to think first and make the play later.

The United States defeated Canada in the preliminary round of the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal. McAvoy laid a number of punishing hits on McDavid in that encounter, and that is going to be part of the strategy in the Olympics.

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United States goaltending could provide edge in Olympics

While the United States has once again selected Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman as the team's goaltending trio, the rotation could be quite a bit different. Swayman is having an excellent season for the Boston Bruins after struggling much of last season. He brought home a gold medal for the U.S. at the end of the season in the IIHF tournament, winning 7 consecutive games.

Swayman has a 17-11-2 record with a .901 save percentage and 2.90 save percentage. Oettinger is 16-8-4 for the Stars with a .900 save percentage and 2.76 GAA. Hellebuyck has decent numbers even though the Winnipeg Jets have fallen badly. He has a 9-12-4 record with a 2.69 GAA.

It would not be a shock if Guerin and Sullivan decide to give Swayman or Oettinger the bulk of the goaltending chores in the Olympics.

Team Canada goaltenders Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings and Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals are not going to come up with the key saves like the American goalies.

U.S. will end up with gold

McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar may be the superstars on the Canadian side, but the U.S. has the depth, strength, toughness to battle and outlast the Canadians. Even if the overall comparison between the skaters is fairly even, the U.S. has a big edge in net over Canada. 

The U.S. will be on the top step of the podium and  The Star Spangled Banner will be played as the U.S. flag is raised in Milan.